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BY TRACY IDELL HAMILTON

Scientific experiments don’t always go as planned, as a group of local students recently learned after their high-altitude balloon launch was scrubbed at the last minute. 

Three teams of students, part of the WEX Foundation’s Lunar Caves Analog Test Sites (LCATS) program, got a second chance a couple of weeks later, in June, thanks to clear skies and an all-clear from the U.S. Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Their goal was to launch three high-altitude weather balloons from the grassy field next to the Boeing Center at Tech Port. Each balloon would carry a student-designed payload of sensors and other instruments to measure atmospheric temperature, pressure, gamma radiation, and even microbial behavior in extreme conditions. 

These experiments mirror the kinds of data collection NASA conducts on planetary missions, giving students hands-on experience with real-world science—the basis of the LCATS program. 

The FAA, on the line with LCATS program manager Kathryn Bolish, cleared the first balloon for launch, then instructed the second team to wait while a small airplane flew past the airspace above the field. 

Students, parents and local space enthusiasts craned their necks to the sky, watching the tiny plane inch along. Finally, the countdown: 

“5...4...3...2...1!” 

Team 2 let go of the brown tarp holding down the roughly five-foot-wide balloon. It swung up into the sky accompanied by cheers on the ground. The third balloon also went up without a hitch. 

The successful launch came two weeks after the annual LCATS Student Showcase and Awards Ceremony, also hosted at the Boeing Center, where students got to show off their work with robots, sensors and lunar design with parents and members of the community. One robot was outfitted with a metal tubular contraption designed to gently scoop up simulated lunar regolith, or moon dust. 

Turning that dust into bricks and tiles that can be used to build infrastructure on the moon is the work of Astroport Space Technologies, the latest startup from noted space architect Sam Ximenes, who founded the WEX Foundation and LCATS to get young people excited about space exploration and engaged with a wide range of projects and experiences. 

LCATS students work closely with Astroport scientists on this work. Since Ximenes launched LCATS in 2016, the NASA-supported program has served nearly 300 students from across San Antonio. Many graduates of the three-year program have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in science and engineering. 

Watching the balloon launch and seeing students' pride in showing off their work, “honestly brings tears to my eyes,” said Ximenes. “These students are doing things I couldn’t have imagined doing at their age. Watching them grow and seeing their passion for science—it’s just fantastic.” Earlier this year, LCATS students explored the Cave Without a Name near Boerne, Texas, using LiDAR-equipped rovers to map underground terrain. 

It is this hands-on approach that really keeps young people’s attention, said Bolish, who by Saturday afternoon had reported back to the students that all three balloons had been recovered, payloads intact, on farmland in surrounding counties. Students next get to analyze the data they collected and present it to Astroport scientists and others, further sharpening their skills in research, analysis, and communication. 

Thanks to the vision of the WEX Foundation and the generous support of the Kelly Heritage Foundation, which has sponsored two cohorts, LCATS continues to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers—one launch at a time. 

NOTE: The high-altitude balloon launches were coordinated with the U.S. Air Force, which operates the nearby runway at Kelly Field, and the FAA. The public should not attempt similar activities on the Port San Antonio campus, including use of drones, kites, model rockets, model airplanes or other flying objects, without prior clearance and coordination with necessary authorities. For more information, contact us at info@portsanantonio.us.